Chapter 97: Lend Me Your Head for a Moment

Wan Qi’s fingers tightened suddenly, and with a crisp snap, the purple-clad servant’s Adam’s apple was crushed, blood spraying wildly as he collapsed limply to the ground. With a gentle flick of her slender hand, the elite retainers of the Guo family surged forward, encircling the remaining seven servants. Du Sanxing, seeing that someone had been killed, knew there was no retreat. Hesitating any longer would mean he could not justify himself to Gu Yun upon returning. Stomping his foot, he drew his long blade and charged forward with the constables.

Naturally, the seven servants resisted, brandishing their Crescent Moon Blades in defiance, but under the combined assault of Qiantang’s constables and the Guo family’s elite troops, all were captured—three slain, four taken prisoner. Though their cultivation was respectable, Wan Qi, being a master, combined with overwhelming numbers and the backing of the authorities, created an absolute advantage with no chance of defeat.

Xi Yuanda’s veins bulged on his forehead as he roared, “Old dog, how dare you?” Just as he was about to strike, he caught sight of Zhu Rui suddenly appearing before him, his feet as if rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch.

Xi Yuanda was usually reckless, quick to kill at the slightest provocation, but having faced Zhu Rui three times and been utterly defeated each time, he was now so frustrated it felt as if blood would burst from his mouth.

With Zhu Rui watching him closely, preventing any rash moves, the others faced no obstruction as Zhan Wenjun and Du Sanxing split their forces to storm the courtyard. Constables found three bound women in a room in the left courtyard. After a brief inquiry by Du Sanxing, it was learned that they were from Qiantang, from remote mountain villages, abducted in their sleep. Two other women who had been taken with them were missing since yesterday, their fate unknown.

Suddenly, someone shouted, “White Snake! White Snake!” Zhan Wenjun hurried after the cry and saw the white snake circling by a corner wall in the right courtyard. Hearing voices, it slipped into a fluffy rat’s nest, burrowing underground. Orders were given to dig up the earth, descending more than seven feet, unexpectedly uncovering two corpses—clothes stripped away, limbs broken, knife wounds on their chests and vital areas, their deaths pitiful beyond measure. Though the bodies had not decomposed, the three women identified them as the abducted companions.

Outside, a crowd had climbed the walls to watch. Seeing this, they all cried out that the White Snake had manifested, demanding justice for the wrongfully slain. People outside, unaware of the events inside the courtyard, spread the news rapidly. Soon, everyone knew that the Jianglu Residence of the Celestial Master’s Sect had been the site of a woman’s brutal murder, causing an uproar.

Some mourned as if bereaved of their own parents: “Is this really the Jianglu Residence of Master Du? I refuse to believe it!”

“Why would it be false? The Disaster-Relieving Spirit Official said so himself. Those ghastly servants were Master Du’s personal attendants…”

Others sneered, “I told you so. The rumors of uprightness in the Yuanyang Jianglu Residence were clear. There was a traitor within the Celestial Master’s Sect, but you refused to believe!”

“Alas! What a pity! Whose daughters could have suffered such a fate? How will their parents bear this sorrow?”

“Heart as cold as serpent’s venom, worse than beasts, dealing such cruel blows! We beseech the Master to open his eyes and grant them justice!”

Du Sanxing, well-versed in law enforcement, knew this could not be a mere coincidence. He immediately ordered his men to dig up all the grounds in the left and right courtyards. Sure enough, within a short time, seventeen bodies of women were unearthed, along with dozens of skeletal remains. Preliminary examination showed most were in their early teens, their deaths varied but all bore signs of horrific torture before death.

Upon receiving the report, Bao Xi’s face darkened as he stared at Xi Yuanda, who stood frozen, and said, “So this is the Jianglu Residence you manage in Yangzhou? Xi Yuanda, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Xi Yuanda’s hands and feet grew cold. He finally understood why the purple-clad servant had acted so recklessly—there were still living women in the courtyard, and discovery meant certain death. Hence, he had to stop them at all costs. As for the bodies buried underground, they had been handled with secret medicines to remove odor and traces, making it difficult even for hunting dogs to detect. Yet, the White Snake seemed to possess spiritual abilities, leading Zhan Wenjun to find the corpses, and now the situation was dire.

“This… this residence was a gift from Wei Du. These bodies might have been buried here before, unrelated to the Celestial Master’s Sect…”

Zhu Rui, standing opposite him, shook his head with a look of pity, as if mocking Xi Yuanda for daring to do wrong but not bearing responsibility—a coward’s way.

“We will send people to investigate Wei Du’s side!” Bao Xi also shook his head and said, “As for you, come with me back to the county office.”

Xi Yuanda stepped back two paces and said, “I am a member of the Celestial Master’s Sect. You cannot detain me… only the Master himself can authorize me to follow you.”

“Human life is paramount. Let alone you, no one connected to the Celestial Master’s Sect in Yangzhou can escape the law!” Bao Xi bowed slightly to Zhu Rui and said, “Please, Mr. Zhu, apprehend Xi Yuanda for the people of Qiantang.”

Seeing the situation worsening, Xi Yuanda struck with his toe, launching a Crescent Moon Blade that had fallen during the earlier fight, stabbing upward at Zhu Rui’s abdomen. Simultaneously, he struck out with a palm infused with internal energy, the wind howling with a fierce attack.

His retreat of two steps was a ploy to use the Crescent Moon Blade, a calculated move befitting the Disaster-Relieving Spirit Official’s reputation.

Zhu Rui’s expression remained unchanged as he charged directly toward the blade, showing no intention to dodge. With a single punch, he confronted Xi Yuanda head-on. Each move was simple yet profound, transforming complexity into simplicity, embodying great skill without ostentation, exuding vastness and strength in every motion.

Snap!

The Crescent Moon Blade stabbed into Zhu Rui’s abdomen. Xi Yuanda rejoiced, “Die!”

He knew the blade was coated with a deadly poison—once it pierced the skin, it was incurable. Zhu Rui’s overconfidence was a death warrant. Xi Yuanda’s palm surged with power, seeking to end him on the spot and avenge his wounded pride.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Rui’s abdomen expanded and contracted, and the blade recoiled faster than before. Xi Yuanda then saw clearly that the blade had struck the tiger-head copper buckle on Zhu Rui’s leather belt, causing no harm.

Stunned, Xi Yuanda failed to adjust his stance in time and narrowly dodged the blade in midair. His energy waned, and as his fists clashed with Zhu Rui’s, a powerful force burst forth like a mountain flood, overwhelming and majestic. He spat a mouthful of blood and was hurled backward.

Though their strength did not seem so disparate, in their previous two encounters, Xi Yuanda had been caught off guard and defeated once and ambushed the second time. This time, having planned carefully and struck first, he had nearly exhausted himself. Even if he could not win, he expected at least to repel Zhu Rui and escape. Yet, this martial fanatic, though seemingly reckless, possessed astonishing talent in martial arts. In a flash, he used the belt to lure Xi Yuanda into a trap, turning defense into offense, and struck him down again, this time injuring his lungs.

Bang!

Xi Yuanda crashed into the wall behind him, barely suppressing the surging blood energy. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bystander perched on the wall. An idea struck him. Using a backward kick against the wall, he vaulted upward, grabbed the man’s collar, and threw him high into the air. To the pursuing Zhu Rui, he called out, “If you don’t save him, he’ll die from the fall. The Zhu family of Wu County—would you really let him die?”

Zhu Rui was helpless. Though he felt the man’s fate was none of his concern, countless Qiantang citizens watched the scene. If he truly ignored it, his elders would surely punish him later. A rare flash of anger crossed his chiseled face as he shouted, changed direction, spared Xi Yuanda, and leapt to catch the unlucky man, setting him safely on the ground.

“Hahaha, Zhu Rui, until we meet again! Sooner or later, I will take your life!”

Xi Yuanda laughed maniacally as he leapt over the wall, about to vanish into the dense crowd. Suddenly, a sword light shot through the air—fluid as a dragon, mighty as a rainbow.

Blinded by the sword’s brilliance, Xi Yuanda could not dodge. At the critical moment, his sleeves unfurled, releasing four walnut-sized iron balls. Colliding midair, they burst into over a hundred slender blue-glowing needles, forming a vast cloud to meet the sword’s strike. Xi Yuanda somersaulted back to the wall.

This was his life-saving treasure, crafted by skilled artisans from Yuezhou at great expense. There were only these four, and once used, they were gone. That was why he hadn’t deployed them earlier against Zhu Rui. Now, facing death, he had no choice but to expend them all.

The sword light suddenly contracted into a gleaming point, then blossomed into countless sword petals, their tinkling ringing endlessly. As the light faded, a figure masked and descending from the sky appeared, his treasured sword gleaming with the tiny poisoned needles clinging to its blade.

Xi Yuanda, seeing the figure shatter the needles with a single stroke and absorb them with internal energy to prevent harm to the crowd below, was struck with dread and awe. Unsure of this formidable foe’s origin, fear gripped him, and he hesitated to leap from the wall.

At that moment, the White Snake that had earlier eluded capture suddenly darted out nearby. Xi Yuanda’s eyes blazed with fury. This white snake was the root of all his failures today! Had it not been for the snake, Bao Xi would never have had cause to invade the residence. Without entering, the secret of the bodies would have remained hidden, and he would not be forced into a desperate flight.

It was all because of the White Snake!

The White Snake!

Xi Yuanda’s repeated setbacks, each time rising with hope only to plunge into despair, had shattered his sanity. The sight of the snake was the last straw. He roared, lunged at a constable, seized a steel knife, and with a swift slash, cleaved the White Snake in two!

“White Lady Snake, manifest spirit, all must die! All must die!” Covered in snake blood, Xi Yuanda looked terrifying, like a ghost. The crowd formed a circle but dared not approach.

Suddenly—

A sharp pain struck Xi Yuanda’s chest. Looking down, he saw a steel blade protruding bloodily from his back, passing through his chest.

“Zhu Rui… you dare kill me…”

Zhu Rui slowly approached with a face full of pity. Leaning close to his ear, he whispered in a low voice, “If you do not die, Yangzhou will never be at peace. For the sake of the Master, for the Zhu and Gu clans, and for the people of Yangzhou, I have no choice but to use your head.”